


Take A Moment To Think Of Justice

by bernard_greybridge



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Ficlet, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:00:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24795064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bernard_greybridge/pseuds/bernard_greybridge
Summary: They thought they had won.
Relationships: Ruby/Sapphire (Steven Universe)
Kudos: 12





	Take A Moment To Think Of Justice

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wabisabi_komorebi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wabisabi_komorebi/gifts).



They thought they had won.

The enemy gems were falling back, retreating to their ships. Garnet couldn't believe it. She had seen so many futures. So many possible failures. So many lives potentially lost. But Rose always had a way of surprising her, she supposed.

Pearl kept a watchful eye on the fleeing fleets, sword gripped tightly as she stood guard in front of Rose. Rose herself looked equally shocked at the outcome, before breaking into jovial laughter.

"WE WON!" Rose cheered to her startled army. Their comrades. Their friends. Their family.

Biggs called back, smiling, voice lost in the other countless cheers. Garnet rested a hand to the still tense Pearl, who looked apprehensively to the sky.

"I-It shouldn't be this easy," Pearl whispered nervously, turning to look at the fusion.

"I know," Garnet gripped her shoulder, trying to ease out her anxiety.

Rose tackled them, a big smile on her face.

"We actually did it!" She laughed, wrapping her arms around them.

Except they didn't.

Biggs's scream of alarm was mistaken for joy, and was drowned out by the uproar. Without warning, a bright light was shone. The crystal gems had no time to even panic. Suddenly alert, Rose grabbed the nearest gems she could get hold of: Pearl and Garnet, thrusting them beneath her shield with her. She tried reached out to the others, but she was too late.

A solemn song rang through their ears as the beam hit. All of them shut their eyes from the blinding flash. Time passed. It could have been seconds, hours, years, they weren't sure. The only thing they were sure of is that they were alone.

***

Biggs was the first they found. Garnet found her while on patrol. They had never seen a corrupted gem before. None of them had the heart to attack, so they let her...let it go.

***

Pearl's and Rose's cries could be heard even outside the temple. At least it did for Garnet. She didn't need future vision to foresee that they would want to talk alone. She needed some fresh air anyway.

She warped herself back to the battlefield. Weapons and gem shards littered the barren land. She unfused on the spot.

"Sapphire..." Ruby tried to say, reaching out towards her.

"...this is all my fault," Sapphire whispered coldly, curling herself up into a ball on the rough earth, "I couldn't predict any of it. That was my only job, that's what I'm made for, and—and I f-failed!"

She hid her tearful eye underneath her bangs, unleashing a massive blizzard upon the war grounds. Ruby was thrown off by the outburst, literally. She landed unceremoniously on her back, several feet away from her beloved.

"No no, Sapphire, you're not the one to blame!" Ruby tried to rationalise. Fighting back tears of her own, she rolled over and tried to crawl through the snow.

"I could have saved them," Sapphire spat, hugging her knees, frost swallowing her whole, "I could have saved you...from—from all of this...trauma. If I hadn't taken you with me to earth, and had just pleaded with Blue Diamond to spare you, you could have been safe and happy back in Homeworld."

"But then I wouldn't be with you!" Ruby cried out, fire erupting from her body as she reached her love, hot flames melting away the surrounding ice.

Sapphire went limp in her arms, numbly feeling Ruby's clinging embrace. She dully faced her lover, tears having frozen underneath her eye.

"We both know that nothing about Homeworld is safe or happy," Ruby cried softly, holding her tighter, heat emitting as the other gem leaned into her touch, "They were gonna break me, Sapphire. The only time I ever really feel safe...is when I'm with you."

Sapphire let the warmth envelop her. Ruby wiped away the snowflake-like tears. The two gems stayed like that for some time. Seconds. Hours. Years.

"You know what sucks about being Garnet all the time?" Ruby finally spoke.

"What?" Sapphire questioned, rubbing her eye.

"I can't kiss you," Ruby leaned towards her, before being anticlimactically shoved away by a boisterously laughing Sapphire, who clutched her stomach as she lied back down.

"There's my Laffy Sapphy," Ruby laughed, as well, lying down next to her.

The two heard the sound of the nearby warp pad being activated.

"Hey," Sapphire said, not even looking at the nearing figures of Rose and Pearl.

The two shared a look before wordlessly lying next to their comrades. Their friends. Their family.

All four gems looked up at the sky above them, a tired smile resting on each of their faces.


End file.
